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Health & Safety |
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A(H1N1) swine flu: May 22/09: The World Health Organization (WHO) http://www.who.int/en/ is where all United Nation member countries report issues of concern regarding world health. As of May 22/09, the WHO reports 11,168 cases of A(H1N1) virus in 42 countries resulting in 86 deaths. It is also noted that in a number of the deaths, the person was suffering from other conditions so it cannot be said with complete certainty that A(H1N1) flu was responsible for the death. Of the current 11,168 reported cases, 3892 of the cases are in Mexico and 5764 cases are in the USA. To put this in some perspective. The WHO estimates that annually in industrialized countries, seasonal influenza epidemics result in up to 5 million severe cases and 500,000 deaths. Breaking this down a little further. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/disease/us_flu-related_deaths.htm reports that in the USA it estimates 36,000 people die each year from the flu. Health Canada http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/index-eng.php estimates that between 700 - 1500 Canadians die annually from the flu. In Mexico, the majority of cases of A(H1N1) flu have
been reported in Mexico City. As of today, to the best of my knowledge there have been
3 reported cases of A(H1N1) flu reported in the Riviera Maya tourist region of
Mexico and 0 deaths. (none of the reported cases have been in
Playa del Carmen, Puerto Aventuras, Tulum or Cozumel. 1 case has
been reported in Cancun) |
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Since May 7/09 the WHO has been advising that there is no reason to restrict travel to Mexico. http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/frequently_asked_questions/travel/en/index.html (see below) The American CDC had a travel warning against non essential travel to Mexico which on May 15/09 was downgraded to a Travel Health Precaution. http://wwwn.cdc.gov/travel/content/travel-health-precaution/novel-h1n1-flu-mexico.aspx (see below) Health Canada put a
warning on their web site on April 27/09 to postpone non essential
travel to Mexico. This warning was removed on May 18/09.
http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/tmp-pmv/2009/h1n1-mexico-090518-eng.php
(see below) |
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Travel Health
Notice
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COMMENTS: I live here and can report that except for a significant number of the tourists being scared off, life is pretty normal. It is still paradise, we just don't have to share it with as many. Those tourists who are visiting are benefiting from extra special attention and some super deals. Schools, restaurants and some of the larger businesses were closed down by the government early on when this broke, but when it was realized that the threat was not that high, they all re-opened and are again operating as before. I can say with absolute honesty and conviction, that I would have no fear for the health and safety of my own family should they come to visit today. In no way would I be concerned to take them to visit and participate in all of the wonderful attractions and activities that this magical area has to offer. Doug Wasmuth, owner villa Brisa Caribe Hi Andra & Doug-We had an AMAZING time at Brisa Caribe last week. Please feel free to use this in your outreach efforts. We would be happy to speak to anyone with questions via e-mail (mary@xxxxxx) or phone (1-xxx-390-8615). I can't believe how overhyped the whole swine flu thing is in the US. Our entire group was so glad we did not cancel our trip. It's clear that Mexico is being very smart about dealing with the flu leaving Mexico completely safe for visitors. Our numerous adventures throughout the Yucatan, and our frequent interactions with the locals never posed any concern from a health standpoint or otherwise. I would STRONGLY encourage anyone with travel plans to Mexico to come without any hesitation at all, have a wonderful time in this beautiful place, and, especially, enjoy the villa and staff at Brisa Caribe. I can't imagine a more perfect vacation in a more perfect place. -Mary Yax, May 2-9,2009 Thank you so much for everything. We had a great time as usual. I hadn't even had a chance to check my e mail yet since coming home. I received my security deposit back already. You all are amazing. By the way,no flu :-) Thanks, Jack and Julie La Moine, May 9/09 Andra, We enjoyed this visit just as much as our previous ones over the last 15 years. At no time did we feel uneasy about being in the PA area. We do know that some owner’s of the restaurants spoke with their staff about more frequent hand washing and generally increasing their standards to protect customers. The quick medical check at the airport (for our return home) was the only indication of a problem. We would not hesitate to return to PA tomorrow if it were possible. Thank you, Mark & Cindy Wiggins, April 26 - May 3,2009\ Hi Andra – Our vacation was spectacular – the location is perfect, the accommodations are stunning, the community of Puerto Aventuras is charming. The Brisa Caribe staff was warm, friendly, informative and attentive, though never intrusive. Our cook, Sylvia, made our trip even better than imagined – a true vacation for all. All 29 of us came home happy, well rested and dreaming of returning to your piece of paradise. We would recommend that anyone considering a trip to a villa in PA do so without hesitation. Truly a trip to remember! Kind regards, Janet and Jim Dowling, April 18-25, 2009 Thank you Andra, We had a great time and had no problems on the trip home. I hope to make it back down, maybe convince another group to take advantage of the discount. Everyone was very nice and helpful. I will definitely recommend the house and business to everyone. Thanks again, Dave M. May 5/09 Andra...we had such a fabulous time and had no clue that there was such a flu going around...and we all remain flu free! We never listened to the news and spent all of our time on the water or by the pool. With the incredible views, spacious villas and quick walk to town, we were perfectly content. The food was amazing, thanks to Sylvia, the houses kept beautifully and really, it was just fantastic! Sue April 18-25,2009
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Drug Wars & General Safety: |
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http://gomexico.about.com/b/2009/02/27/is-cancun-safe.htm http://www.hiddencancun.com/rivergirl/2009/02/09/is-cancun-safe-for-tourists/
http://www.cancuncanuck.com/2009/02/tourists-safe-in-cancun.html |
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Andra,
This
February '09 trip was my 7th vacation in Mexico spanning a period of
about 15 years. Honestly, I felt no less safe on this trip than I
did on any of the others. We walked on the beach, we wandered around
in Akumal, we sunbathed relentlessly! Sure we locked the front door
when we were out in the back of the house, but I do that when I am
working in the yard at my home in Kentucky! You're right, the media
reports are a little unnerving. To be honest, there was one in our
group who was particularly antsy. The rest of us just ignored her!
Hope that helps, or some of it anyway.
Julie
Ossege
We
had a great time in Puerto Aventuras – were there in 2007 also.
We felt very safe at our condo and in the little village area by
the restaurants. We were never out past 8-9pm there. We met
the man who is the night “guard” at the Quinta Maya. Advice:
Watch the speed limits on the highway. We were stopped by
“police” for “speeding”. As we were on our way to the airport,
we could not stay overnight and appear at the police station in
Playa del Carmen. So the police
willingly took our $100.00 instead. Doubt that it ever
made it to the police station.
We
did see police cars on the highway (even frisking men) but that
did not frighten us.
Would it be improper to post that the most danger we got in was
one of the ladies we were with drank too much fell down on the walk
back to Mayan Waters? Just kidding, I will draft you
something tomorrow. I promise.
Hello Andra,You are so right that this is being exaggerated to the point of scaring people away from Mexico. We have been going there for 15 years with very little trouble or concern. We have known people who have had to pay off the police for a traffic infraction that really did not happen. We (and many others) have been ripped off by a gas station attendant - but only once because now we know how to avoid that from happening. That being said, we have never been worried for our safety. It is unfortunate that this happens in Mexico but it does not deter us. The majority of the Mexican people are wonderful and helpful to us. We tell people that the same common sense you use at home should be exercised on your holiday - regardless of where you go. There are areas of our home town that we avoid because of the safety factor. We will continue to visit the Mayan Riviera.
Regards, Mark & Cindy
Wiggins
NOTE from Doug: for more on Speeding and Gas Station rip offs, see Frequently Asked Questions #8A http://www.brisacaribe.com/travel.htm#8A We stayed in Mayan Waters from 2/10/09 through 2/18/09. We traveled quite a bit throughout the region to all of the normal attractions, as well as some sightseeing on our own. We visited Tulum, Playa Del Carmen, Cozumel as Cancun. We had a car, so we made day trips nearly everyday. This was our 4 trip to Puerto Aventuras.in the last 5 years. I can honestly say that I have never felt anything but perfectly safe in Puerto, and this recent trip was no different. There is Police activity and presence on the highway, specifically RT 307, but that is not unusual. They can tend to slow the pace, and appear to be much more focused on speeders than anything else. (I should know, I got to meet them personally). Playa seemed as it always has, Cozumel was normal. We did take several cabs in Cozumel to some more remote snorkeling areas, and felt as safe as we ever have. The US beat Mexico in a CONCACAF qualifying round that day, which allowed for some good natured ribbing with the cab drivers. We are currently booking a return trip to Puerto Adventuras in July 2009. If we had any safety concerns at all, we would obviously would not be making a return trip so soon. We have a vacation property in Florida that is available to us at anytime, but certainly prefer the peaceful nature of Mexico over that of South Florida. It would appear that the National Media is making a fairly large deal about the drug traffic in Mexico and the risks that travelers can incur. I would tend to agree with them regarding some of the border communities far more than I would in a more southern vacation spot like Puerto Aventuras. I would be happy to answer any questions you may have regarding our recent, or previous trips. thanks Pete Glenn
Hi Andra, We were
blissfully unaware that there were safety concerns. Before
leaving on our trip I knew of the violence around Tijuana and
other border towns, but didn’t expect issues where we were near
Tulum. There was never a time that we felt concern for our
safety. We noticed the presence of armed soldiers in trucks, but
we didn’t see any reason to be worried of their presence on the
highways. We would recommend this area to anyone and definitely
look forward to returning. All the best, Hello Andra & Doug, Our stay at
Carine Villa was great! very relaxing and we all felt safe!
We spent a week in Puerto
Aventuras in January 2009, and it was heavenly!! We
traveled with two young children, and I can honestly say
that there was not a moment where I felt any concern for our
safety. PA is a beautiful, tranquil place with warm people
and lovely surroundings. We are already plotting for a
return trip-- PA is truly a paradise!
Hello Andrea, I am a little surprised the media
would report these areas unsafe. We have been
spending our holidays in PA for the past 5 years (we
are lucky, we know). Never did we feel worried about
our safety. Of course, we applied the same safety
rules as we do at home or in any other countries.
Having said that, it doesn't mean staying put ...
We have visited Riviera Maya's areas south and north
of PA by our own means (rented a car) and it was
great, there are so many beautiful sights to visit !
That is how we experienced our holidays, hoping many
others will also !
Doug and Andra, We felt safer and
more relaxed than we do here in Wheat
Ridge Colorado. We were so pleased
with Puerto we rented a place for a year
and plan on moving as soon as my
husband retires. We love the place
and people and plan on doing volunteer
work as soon as we get settled in.
We traveled all over as we rented a car
for 2 weeks. We went to Coba and Tulum,
Playa Del Carmen several times and
Puerto Morelos several times and took my
brother and wife to the airport in
Cancun. We love the people and feel very
safe with them. We didn't run into any
drug cartels either! Thanks Again
for your help finding a wonderful place
to stay,
I was with the Kettelkamps in February
and had the best vacation!
I’ve been to Mexico 15 times and have
never had a problem, until this year.
But my problem was while driving and not
in Puerto Aventuras.
I was warned about driving in Mexico
and this was the first time I’d rented a
car. Upon leaving the airport- we were
followed for some time by a federal
police car. The next day, within 5 miles
of leaving P.A. I was pulled over and
told I was speeding which I was NOT. The
police then told me it was $180 to pay
ticket or I could pay him $50. It was
quite the ordeal. I grabbed my cell
phone to call Dick . The officer wanted
to know who I was calling and if they
were a resident. I said yes and that I
was told to call him if I was ever
pulled over. They immediately let me
leave. My first bad experiences in
Mexico- otherwise it was wonderful
We were just there
for spring break in
March. We had a
fabulous time.. We
were nervous about
traveling due to the
media reports, but
we did not have a
single problem. In
fact, everything
seemed exactly as it
was when we traveled
there the year
before. We even
rented a car in
Cancun and drove all
the way to Tulum.
We never saw
anything odd at
all. We felt very
safe the whole
week. Believe me,
we would never take
our children
somewhere unsafe, so
I can definitely say
that it was just
fine. No worries.
We wanted to let you know what a great week we
had. Our condo was fantastic & worked out so well for us. Everything was
just as you described it & we want to compliment you on the helpfulness
of the information on your website. We brought along a lot of the
information off your site & referred to it many times. Your attention to
detail has not gone unnoticed by us & ensured that our holiday was
great. Thank you Andra in helping with the details & the prompt
responses to my emails. As you will recall I was leery booking online
etc but it was all really good. I will be telling at least 10 friends so
hopefully you'll get some more Alberta business! This holiday was
special for us as we have never taken a big holiday with our kids. Our
oldest is graduating in May & we wanted a really special week together,
not knowing when we would have the opportunity in the future. Thank you
for helping us to do that. We are going to return in the future!
I felt completely
safe, and truly, the information in the
media never crossed my mind once...When
I travel to Los Angeles, I don’t worry
about the Crips and Bloods, and every
day in Maryland and Washington DC I
don’t think about MS13, so I think that
any American with common sense knows
that the media just sells fear. Brisa
Caribe and Puerto Aventuras are clearly
as safe as any other sensible place to
be...just like most areas of Los Angeles
or Washington DC! The area was
fantastic...
Hello, We had a lovely
time in March 2009 with our
three children in Puerto
Aventuras. This included
travelling daily by rental car
to places such as Playa Del
Carmen, Akumal, Tulum and inland
to Coba and Valladolid.
We never felt unsafe or
threatened in any way. There
are undoubtedly violent criminal
acts in Mexico, which we read
about in the local newspapers,
however, we felt safe in the
Mayan Riviera.
We were definitely more
aware of our surroundings
when we were there this
time, but at no time did we
feel uneasy or fear for our
safety. We had rental cars
and drove everywhere. We
did notice that there seemed
to be more check points on
the main road which made us
feel safer. After a few days
in paradise we did not even
think about it! We had an
overnight layover in LA, and
I was far more concerned at
the area around our hotel
near the airport there than
anywhere in Mexico! I would
return to paradise tomorrow
if I could! It was so
peaceful and relaxing. Thank
you for a wonderful
vacation. We will be
back.
We had a great time in Puerto
Aventuras. We all loved the
condo, very comfortable, well
equipped, great location, great
beach. Antonio was very helpful.
Regarding safety: We did not
feel any danger. Puerto
Aventuras is a really safe
place. We traveled a
little - to Xel-Ha and Akumal
and felt the same. All people
there appear relaxed. Only CNN
reminded us that there is
something going on in the area.
Thank you for everything, |
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Brisa
Caribe offers Mexico
vacation & holiday villa & condo rental accommodation on the Mayan Riviera in
the resorts of Akumal, Playa del
Carmen, Puerto Aventuras, Tulum, Tankah, and Cancun. We have luxurious Riviera Maya villas
and condos for rent by the week in
Puerto Aventuras, South Akumal, Solimon Bay, Jade Bay, Tankha, Playa del Carmen,
Tulum and
Cancun. Please contact us for any of your Mexico Maya Riviera vacation and holiday villa and condo
rental needs.
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